Peanut Butter Popcorn Mix

Think of this like Chex Mix – popcorn style, drowned in peanut butter. It’s fantastic. This would make a perfect homemade holiday treat to give a loved one or neighbor. Throw it in a cutesy container, slap on a bow and you’ve got yourself a wonderful, tasty, thoughtful gift! Makes about 5 cups of mix

3 cups popped plain popcorn

1 cup rice cereal (like Chex - any flavor will work)

¼ cup chopped nuts (I used almonds)

½ cup oats, toasted (heat them in a greased skillet)

½ cup coconut flakes, toasted (heat them in a greased skillet)

1 cup all natural peanut butter (other nut or seed butters will work also)

¼ cup honey

¼ cup sugar or stevia

½ cup butter or coconut oil

• In a large saucepan, melt peanut butter, honey, sugar and butter/oil until melted and smooth. 
• In a large mixing bowl, combine popcorn, cereal, nuts, oats and coconut flakes. 
• Drizzle peanut butter mixture over popcorn mix and stir until mix is coated with peanut butter sauce. 
• Spread evenly over a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 
• Bake at 250°F for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let set for about an hour. Break apart and put into sealed containers. 

Halloween Treats - Alternatives to candy!

I’m not a fan of Halloween. I hate being scared, I don’t eat candy, and you don’t get a day off for it ha! My son is getting more into it though. Of course, he understands you get A LOT of candy and get to have a costume. It will be a challenge this year. I don’t mind if he has some candy. I know I won’t be able to completely keep him from it. His grandparents will make sure he gets a few pieces behind my back I’m sure. He won’t get much at home though. We have a few other ideas in store instead. We will also have some of our own special treats to enjoy without getting too many cavities or empty calories. Here’s a few ideas to try and lessen some of the candy intake for your kiddos (or yourself!):

Have a Halloween Buy-Back. We have a candy basket (out of reach for the kids). When they get candy, it goes in there (any time of the year). Typically, if it is out of sight-it is out of mind; he doesn’t want it because he’s forgotten about it. Occasionally I will let him pick one piece for a treat. This year, I’m going to put all of his candy into the basket. I’m also going to have  a spate basket full of other Halloween items that he can “buy” with candy. I will tell him how many pieces of candy that item costs and we will switch. Then we will likely donate the candy or take it somewhere that we know it will get eaten. Here’s what’s in the goody basket:

A Halloween movie
A Halloween book
Coloring pages
Crayons/Markers
A new board game
Some cheap Halloween toys (spider rings, fangs, etc)
Healthy fruit snacks
Homemade Halloween cookies
Homemade Halloween brownie bites

 

Have a healthy Halloween party. We like dressing up and having parties so it is fun to have a little dress up party and serve some “spooky” but healthy Halloween foods. We did this last year also with some of our family but it would be great with just the kids too. We all decorated the house together and had snacks. We also watched movies, played games, etc. They still went trick-or-treating, just not as much as most kids. Here’s some snack ideas:

Mummy pizzas (just make individual pizzas and put the toppings on to look like mummies or other Halloween characters.
Snake Calzone roll – take  a pizza crust, roll it out thin, fill with toppings, then roll up lengthwise and form so it looks like a snake. Use olives or other foods to make eyes, tongue, etc.
Pumpkin Dip – mix together canned pumpkin and yogurt to make a dip. Serve with some graham crackers and apple slices.
Pumpkin Veggie Tray – use carrots, tomatoes, broccoli to layer on a cookie sheet in the shape of a pumpkin. Serve with your favorite dip or hummus.
Easy Halloween Rice Krispies – Make traditional rice krispies, just add some orange food coloring to your marshmellows. Add some Halloween Sprinkles to your mix also.

Obviously, there are so many things you can do for a fun Halloween that doesn’t involve gorging in excess sweets and junk food. Get some ideas from your kids and just have fun as a family! My son is most excited about dressing up. He’s going to be “Spiderman”, our daughter will be “Batgirl”. He has requested that his dad be “Hulk” and I am to be “Wonder Woman”.. I’m not so sure about all of that but the things we will do for our children.

Soccer Snacks

I’m not sure if it’s the same where you live, but here youth soccer is a big deal. Players ranging from 3-18 play and love it! This is our first year for soccer with my 5 year old. We are working on his socializing before he starts school so we are giving sports and other activities a try. My husband is one of the coaches on the team and it is going very well. Anyway – today is the first set of games. Each parent is responsible for bring snacks for a game and I’m looking forward to it. In the past, I’ve seen everything from pop and cookies to more healthy options for kids sports. I may not be the mom that brings cookies and soda for a treat BUT that’s okay. I’d rather them have better options, especially after running around for an hour. I don’t giver other kids things I wouldn’t give my own. That means, if my son doesn’t get Oreo’s, then we don’t “treat” them either. Some kids (and parents) don’t like it, but that’s okay. It’s not like I’m making them eat kale and asparagus or something. I don’t care what anyone else feeds their kids; we all have options and choices to make.

Here are few ideas for kid snacks – for soccer games or whatever!

• Goldfish crackers (preferably homemade)
• Dried fruits
• Cereal
• Trail mix
• Pretzels
• Cheese cubes
• Fresh fruit chunks (the best are oranges, grapes, apples, pears)
• Almonds or other nuts/seeds
• Infused waters
• All natural fruit juices
• Coconut water
• Fresh lemonade

Some good tips for treat days:

• Always bring a couple extra (just in case!)
• If you are outside, bring a trash sack for any empty bags or other trash
• Baby wipes or Wet Ones are great for cleanup
• Be patient with the children (some will run over other kids to get their snack, others will be shy)
• Make sure there aren’t any kids with food allergies if possible
• If you have someone with a food allergy, try not to put anything that would harm them in the snacks – bring something else.
• Always bring a smile – children are one of God’s greatest gifts and their innocence is such a blessing – enjoy it!